Dept. of Tourism: Governor Doyle Announces $3.8 Million Tourism Budget Proposal, New Ad Campaign

Contacts:
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor,
608-261-2156
Jerry Huffman, Wisconsin Department of Tourism,
608-261-8195

New Slogan: “Wisconsin – Life’s So Good” Replaces “Stay Just A Little Bit
Longer”

Governor Jim Doyle announced today a $3.8 million budget
increase proposal for tourism marketing. The proposal would boost the
Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s current $25.6 million budget by $3.8
million in the next biennium. Additionally, Governor Doyle unveiled a new
tourism marketing campaign, which begins next month.

The budget proposal specifically earmarks the increased
funding for the Department of Tourism’s marketing efforts to maintain the
state’s nearly $12 billion per year tourism industry. The additional
funding will be used to increase print, radio, and television advertising
(60 percent increase), Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) grants given to local
communities and organizations (12 percent increase), outreach to convention
organizers (10 percent increase), and international promotion (six percent
increase).

“Tourism is the third-largest contributor to the economy in
Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “Increasing our marketing investment in
this industry will ensure that tourism will continue to drive our economy
well into the future.”

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s new marketing campaign
will feature the slogan “Wisconsin – Life’s So Good,” and replace the “Stay
Just A Little Bit Longer” campaign, which was introduced in March 2000.
Developed through extensive research and industry input, the “Wisconsin –
Life’s So Good” campaign is designed to showcase the diversity of the
state’s tourism offerings.

“I am extremely excited about both the proposed budget
increase and the new marketing campaign,” Department of Tourism Secretary
Jim Holperin said. “These developments give us the tools to effectively
tell the ‘Wisconsin story’ to potential travelers, and keep us competitive
with other states.”

Slated to run in the Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul areas,
as well as in Wisconsin, the campaign includes television, radio, print, and
online advertising. It was developed by the Department’s agency of record,
Boelter + Lincoln Marketing Communications of Milwaukee and Madison. The
Department of Tourism obtained full licensing rights to the new campaign’s
music, so tourism entities statewide will also have the option of using it
in their advertising.

About $8.8 million of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s
annual budget is currently spent on marketing. Marketing activities
include: advertising, co-op advertising, public relations, online marketing,
website development, Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grants, sports show
attendance, a toll-free number for travel information, travel publication
development, and maintaining Travel Information Centers at select entry
points to Wisconsin.

The new Wisconsin Department of Tourism television ads,
along with research summaries, can be seen online at
http://agency.travelwisconsin.com. For information on travel opportunities
in Wisconsin, travelers can do their own research at www.travelwisconsin.com
or call the 24-hour, live-operated toll-free number at 1-800-432-TRIP/8747.
Travel publications including the Official Wisconsin Travel Guide can be
ordered online or by calling the toll-free number. Free travel information
can also be found at Wisconsin Travel Information Centers.